Storm in Shiv Sena over MNS support to BJP

March 11, 2014

Shiv_SenaMumbai, March 11: A veritable storm has erupted in the Shiv Sena two days after its bete-noire, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), decided to support the BJP in the state without joining the NDA or the saffron Grand Alliance.

Amidst a public clamour from Shiv Sainiks to break the nearly 25-year old alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior BJP leaders rushed to meet and mollify Uddhav Thackeray here Tuesday.

For starters, state BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis called on Thackeray and assured him that the existing five-party saffron Grand Alliance would be intact in the state.

He told media-persons that unnecessary attempts were on to create "misunderstandings" between the BJP and the Shiv Sena.

Later Tuesday evening, BJP general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Rajiv Pratap Rudy is expected to call on Thackeray at the latter's Matoshri Bandra residence.

BJP sources said that senior party leaders, including Rajnath Singh and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi spoke to Thackeray Tuesday and attempted to reassure him on its alliance with Shiv Sena.

The developments came in the wake of a meeting of the party's top leadership and Lok Sabha candidates summoned by Thackeray Tuesday to discuss its future strategy in the wake of the changing political scenario.

The Shiv Sena has toughened its stance vis-a-vis the BJP after its senior leader Nitin Gadkari openly wooed MNS chief Raj Thackeray and sought his support for the BJP and Modi, and not to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Raj Thackeray played his cards carefully by declaring support to Modi and putting up Lok Sabha candidates opposite only Shiv Sena nominees - except in Pune.

The MNS candidates include Bala Nandgaonkar (Mumbai South), Bollywood actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar (Mumbai North-West), Rajiv Patil (Kalyan), Ashok Khandebard (Shirur), Pradeep Pawar (Nashik) and Deepak Paygude (Pune) - the last from where the BJP candidate is contesting.

While the Shiv Sena maintained a cryptic silence, an embarrassed BJP, welcomed MNS support to Modi, but urged Raj Thackeray to extend support to all the Grand Alliance and National Democratic Alliance candidates.

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News Network
July 21,2020

New Delhi, Jul 21: The Enforcement Directorate is understood to have initiated a process to freeze over 60 bank accounts in the country on the request of the Brazilian government in connection with a money laundering case in that country, offiicials said on Monday.

They said the agency has undertaken the action under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in pursuance of a mutual agreement between the two nations to combat financial crimes.

The over 60 bank accounts are held by some individuals and businessmen based in the country, they said.

The probe, they said, is linked to some high profile people of Brazil.

The suspected accounts sought to be frozen by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on behalf of the Brazilian government, are stated to be of banks in Delhi and Mumbai, they added.

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News Network
July 15,2020

New Delhi, Jul 15: Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that he is "not" joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"I am not joining BJP," said Pilot in a telephonic conversation with ANI.

The comments came a day after he was sacked as Rajasthan deputy chief minister and Pradesh Congress Committee chief by the party.

The decision to sack Pilot was taken yesterday after a CLP meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

At the meeting, as many as 102 MLAs unanimously demanded that Pilot should be removed from the party.

The Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil over the past few days. While chief minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP for attempting to destabilise the state government by poaching MLAs, Pilot has been camping in Delhi.

A controversy broke out in Rajasthan after special operation group (SOG) sent a notice to Pilot to record his statement in the case registered by SOG in the alleged poaching of Congress MLAs in the state.

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News Network
January 19,2020

Shirdi, Jan 19: Shirdi in Maharashtra will remain closed for an indefinite period from today in the wake of state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's decision to develop Pathri town in Parbhani district as Sai Baba's birthplace.

However, Deepak Madukar Muglikar, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, has said that Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi will remain open today and will not be impacted by the closure of the city.

"There are some reports in media that Sai Temple in Shirdi will remain closed on January 19. I want to clarify that it is just a rumor. Temple will remain open on January 19," Mr Muglikar said.

A call has been given for indefinite closure of Shirdi after Mr Thackeray's reported comment terming Pathri in Parbhani as Sai Baba's birthplace.

"Devotees will not face any difficulty if they come to Shirdi," said B Wakchaure, member of Saibaba Sansthan Trust.

Uddhav Thackeray has recently announced that Pathri will be developed as the birthplace of Sai Baba for religious tourism and also took a review meeting of the development plans in the Parbhani district.

One of the most popular religious destinations in the country, Saibaba Temple in Shirdi witnesses lakh of devotees visiting the holy site every year.

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